


Прабачце

by Random_Anon



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Madame White snake - All media types, 崩坏3rd | Honkai Impact 3rd (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Azula and Zuko have a slightly better relationship, Bad Writing, But she'll only show up at later chapters, But she's present for only like...one chapter so, Crossover, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Dimension Travel, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Herrscher Zuko, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), I don't know what I'm doing But I'm doing something so there's that, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Lu Ten (Avatar) Lives, Multi, OOC Sirin (Honkai impact), Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, P.O.V play, Panic Attacks, Reincarnation, Sirin has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Slightly less OOC Benares | Bella, Tax Evador Miyuki, Ursa (Avatar) is a Good Parent, War Criminal Miyuki, Zuko (Avatar) Has Issues, Zuko (Avatar) has Congenital insensitivity to pain, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, kind of, stupor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:15:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25153030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Random_Anon/pseuds/Random_Anon
Summary: Ursa prays to a *spirit* to protect her child, little did she know just how many more problems she gained by doing so.
Relationships: (Temporary) Zuko/Original Male Character(s), Azula & Iroh (Avatar), Azula & Ozai (Avatar), Azula & Ursa (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), I'm not sure about Zuko yet, Ikem/Ursa (Avatar), Iroh & Ozai (Avatar), Iroh & Ursa (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), La/Tui (Avatar), Original Female Character(s)/Original Female Character(s), Ozai & Ursa (Avatar), Ozai & Zuko (Avatar), Ozai/Dishonor, Ursa & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	1. A lonesome pra(e)yer.

Ursa was in a state of apathy.

It's been five months since she became pregnant with Ozai's child, she never felt as afraid.

As time has passed, she could see more and more of what kind of person her husband was, even though she could easily see some of his traits the day she married him, the day she lost her freedom.

'...Sometimes I wonder if I could actually say no.' She let out a weak laugh at the thought, sitting in her room.

Reminiscing, she pulled a small pendant out her sleeve, a gift from her parents, they told her that it once belonged to avatar Roku, who claimed that it was once a part of a powerful spirit.

Looking at the glowing iridescent gem, she could tell why he thought so.

Disturbing thoughts stormed her mind and soul as she got up from her chair and kneeled before her bed, clasping the pendant in her hands.

'Oh, mighty spirit, I pray to you that my child will be safe from whatever challenges this dark palace puts them through.' She addressed whatever spirit the gem could belong to in the past, desperate to do at least something to protect her child.

After a few minutes of praying, she sighed and stood up, opening her hands to find that the pendant changed.

All the color was lost, leaving it completely black.

"What..?" Ursa stared at the pendant in disbelief.

"Good evening." She jumped when several voices reached her ears.

When she turned around, she saw a silhouette of a person slumped in her chair.

"Who-!?" Before the sentence left her lips, the silhouette moved towards her lifting her chin with its hand.

Ursa tried to bite the hand while pushing the figure away, only to cringe at her teeth, scratching something that felt like a mass of nothingness.

"Now-now... you prayed in secret, did you not?" The woman stopped squirming when the voice reached her ears.

"...So what?" She cautiously asked as the hand gripping her chin slowly relaxed.

"If someone comes here because of your screams, they'll ask questions. Including to whom you were praying and why. Plus, they may ask about me, and I am NOT going through this again." She could hear the annoyance in the entity's voice.

Realization dawned on Ursa, and her eyes widened.

"A-...Are you the spirit whom this belongs to?" She slowly asked, revealing the pendant in her hand.

"OH! So this is where you've been all along?" The entity almost yelled before taking the pendant and whispering something into it as the gem slowly started to regain its color.

"So... This was once a part of you?"

"Kind of?" The spirit(?) half-heartedly answered her, observing the gem that now became pristine white.

"Hmmm..." Ursa wasn't sure what she was supposed to do...

After a moment of thinking, she bowed slightly, keeping her hand in the respectful traditional fire nation hand gesture, with her right hand in a fist and her left palm facing that hand.

"Great spirit. I prayed on that pendant, hoping that you would answer me, please hear my request." She was slightly shaking. She heard what some spirits done to those who offended or defied them.

"..." The being stared at her, deep in thought, before fully turning towards her.

"Look into my eyes." It said.

Ursa gulped, and lifted her head.

...

...

Five eyes were staring at her... no... not just at her... IN her.

Studying her features, her mind and soul, she felt as something was gently digging through her memories, looking for something.

She dared not assume for what.

"...Do you know what this is?" It asked her, holding the gem between its thumb and index finger.

"I...am unsure." She quietly answered.

"This is a shard, a shard of a soul, a powerful soul." The being slowly began, walking past her, towards her bed.

"That soul was very dear to me, with a smile that shone out the sun, and a mind to bend the great laws as we know them..." It continued. "But... one day. The soul was 'broken'." It suddenly said, in a tone so cold, that it probably could freeze the sun itself.

"But of course, it couldn't leave nothing behind, an existence so bright..." It paused, solemnly looking at the gem between its fingers.

"Those shards were the souls' legacy...and a way to bring her back." The being sat on her bed.

"...So I gathered them. Slowly putting her back together, however..."

It turned its head towards Ursa.

"Nothing is as simple as that." The white spots that seemed to be the creature's eyes became slightly... squashed?

"Some of the shards became sentient... this one was one of them... but now it's dead as well... All those centuries... Alone..." It slightly raised its head.

"All of them were like children to me. So, don't worry, I'll help you protect your child." It finally finished.

"Thank you!" Ursa broke her bow in relief as a new beacon of hope appeared before her.

"What can I do to help?" She asked with sparkling eyes.

"Absolutely nothing." The spirit cut her off.

"...Then I should just...wait?" 

"Yes. Just repeat the prayer in about a week, most of the preparations should be ready by then." For some reason, when the being was explaining what exactly the prayer should be like, Ursa started feeling uneasy.

It wasn't that whatever it was telling her was somehow ominous or wrong, but like it wasn't telling her everything. Similar to what Azulon did when he came into her village.

"..." The spirit silently looked at her, before ripping what seemed to be its right arm off of its body.

"Here, consider this your guarantee." It said, handing the twitching black mass to her.

She trembled, slowly backing away.

"...Oh! Right. Give me a second." The spirit awkwardly mumbled, before stepping back itself.

The arm started shifting itself, changing colors and shapes of which it consisted, slowly taking the form of an earring, shaped like something between a dragon and a butterfly's wings.

"This is..?" She started to mutter her question.

"A part of my soul." The spirit answered "As long as you or your child have it, I vow, to never intentionally hurt you." Ursa looked up to the silhouette, 'Intentionally?' She thought to herself, analyzing its words.

"Thank you." She responded, taking the colorful jewel from the being's hands.

The creature just nodded before saying-

"You're welcome, but now I need to tell you what exactly I was planning to do."

Ursa nodded.

"Now, do you know how the avatar was created?"

...

...

'...What?'

| Several minutes later Sirin's P.O.V.|

Darkness.

It was endless.

With no beginning, and no end.

The young girl simply sat in the darkness.

Staring into it endlessly.

With no feeling, no intention, no thought.

Simply sitting, and remembering.

Remembering the day her mother died along with her small, simple, yet priceless happiness.

Following that, her, and her friends' suffering in the tower of pain and hope combined.

The fake happiness she felt as she destroyed those she blamed for her suffering.

The true happiness when she met a friend...and the despair she felt as she died when the girl herself was busy drowning in feelings of jealousy and doubt, desiring revenge.

...As well as the last feeling in her short life - apathy.

The apathy she felt, as her cold body was held by the only human who tried to understand her.

The soft words the human said before both of them died in a matter of a few moments.

"...Pathetic." The girl proclaimed herself, stopping the flow of thoughts, reminding her of her past.

...

...

...

" ** Sirin ** ."

The girl jumped at the mention of her name by the voice yet known to her.

"..." She silently turned towards the source of the voice seeing only five stars shining in the black void she found herself in.

"Who are you?" She asked. Even though she already knew the answer.

"Hello, I have many names may I speak to you about our reincarnation program?" The voice said, surprising the young Herrscher with its answer.

"So, how should I call you?" She asked, hoping for a more... clear answer this time.

The stars became slightly smaller, as a feeling of someone smiling at her showed itself.

"I usually go by Art." Sirin nodded, taking notes that whatever the creature was, it didn't introduce itself as a "God" and gave her a relatively normal-sounding name.

"Greetings, Art, my name is Sirin... though I guess you already knew that." She cleared her throat. "Now. What did you mean by a "reincarnation program"?" She greeted the creature in return, starting to feel the immense Houkai Energy it was emitting.

"Well, you were born got a terrible life done a bunch of terrible, atrocious things. Didn't have a chance at redeeming yourself, even though you might not have deserved that. But you didn't deserve have to be a plaything in some bastards hands so that he could just nuke you at the end either so... why not see what'll happen if you get a second chance?"

"...I almost committed mass genocide." She flatly answered.

"...Yes, but you could be saved... numerous times. Besides, I just want to see what will happen if you are reborn in a different world, in a different setting, with a different *me*..." The entity started slowly circling around her.

"Besides." Two mysterious sparks appeared. "I am quite skilled in such negotiations."

Sirin looked at the creature, raising one eyebrow, before looking at the sparks.

Out of one of the sparks, a gem about the size of a fist appeared.

"..!" She dashed towards the shining blue gem, recognizing it in an instant.

"Bella!"

She cradled the gem in her hands, hugging it like a lost friend... that it was.

"...So you offer her resurrection as a payment?" She slowly asked the being before her.

"..." It was silent for a moment.

"Not really."

"..?"

"She would stay alive either way." It chuckled. "But, I am most curious about how your existence would affect the world which I chose for you to go in." At that moment, the five stars turned slightly blue.

"That world has no such thing as Houkai in it."

Sirin's eyes went wide at the short sentence.

"BULLSHI-!"

"Ok-ok it is there it's just called differently." She could hear the faint laughter that most probably belonged to the being.

With a face of ripe tomato, she exhaled before continuing.

"Well then, how is it different from my world then?"

A small silence and a hum followed.

"Well, for one, there are spirits, most of which are intelligent. And are held in high regard by the humans. As well as the fact that most people have about the same affinity to Houkai Energy, they call it chi or whatever, most of them just can't use it." 

"So most of those *spirits* are like how Bella was after I gave her consciousness?"

"Pretty much."

Sirin cowered her mouth with one of her hands.

There were spirits in her world as well, though they had a different name.

*Houkai Beasts* - they were beings of pure destruction, though differing in size abilities and form, they shared a certain trait. They were mindless beasts that had only one purpose - killing as many humans as they can before being one way or another destroyed.

All of them were created out of a mysterious form of energy called Houkai, it caused close to no pollution and was everywhere, but harnessing it had a price. The price being the awakening and attraction of the beasts.

What made creatures like her - Herrschers - special was that they were once humans with an affinity to Houkai so high they could even control the beasts, and, unlike them, they had their own thoughts and feelings... but most of the time they couldn't live up to adulthood due to other humans' hostility towards them. The other being that sometimes they couldn't progress without the Houkai itself aiding them.

Unfortunately, it's very picky about who it chooses as its' prophets.

It only chose those who had suffered throughout the majority of their life, so that they would aid it in the destruction of humanity.

She was the second Herrscher of her era.

She frowned, remembering the first day she was leading the army of armageddon.

'To think they called me, a child *The Queen of Houkai*' She cringed, remembering how she claimed to be the prophet of God.

She looked at the gem in her hands. A so-called Herrscher-Core, this one assembled by her to give her most trusted being a consciousness.

'...' It wasn't the time to think about the past.

"Very well then, I accept your offer." She finally answered, giving the being before her the best *Queenly* smile she could offer at the moment.

She heard a clap before the creature responded.

"Good! Now I can bestow one blessing on you what do you want?"

"Definitely no pain." She quickly answered to the creature.

"Perfect! Now, for the last question-" Sirin cringed knowing that this thing most likely mentioned it at the end so that she couldn't protest as much. "-How would you like to be merged with a not-fully-developed soul of a prince, and if you would prefer to keep your memories?"

...

"...Прабачце?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. Enjoy!

Ursa smiled, looking at the small body in her embrace.

They decided to call him *Zuko*, after her father.

Her soft humming filled the garden as she slowly sang her newborn son to sleep.

'It's been half a year already...' She brushed the earing with her index finger, slightly frowning, remembering her encounter with the black spirit.

Several turtle-ducks floated past her favorite spot.

'I wonder how they feel raising their children?' Her expression changed as she remembered her husband's reaction when he first met with his son.

| A week ago|

"How are you?" She slightly jumped as the cold voice of The Fire Lord reached her ears.

"I am well-" She slightly bowed, trying to hide the pain behind her movement. "- Your Royal Highness. It brings me great joy that you could bless me with your presence..." She tried to hide her sarcasm, no matter how hard it was. 'Before your son, that is.' She almost blurted out, but bit her tongue before she could do so.

The fire lords only response was a flick of his wrist. "Let's drop the pleasantries-" Seems her resentment was too big to hide from him. "-...How did it go?" He addressed both her and the nursemaids.

"Uh!" The eldest one of them wobbled towards Azulon as Ursa stared at her resentfully.

"The operation went much more smoothly than w-we thought-" She stumbled at her own words. "-Even though the prince was born before we expected, he is very healthy, a-and seems to be a fire-bender as well!" Ursa scoffed at how she emphasized the last part.

"You don't know that..." She scowled if looks could kill the old hag would be as dead as the air-nomads culture by now.

"My lady-!"

"Why would you say that?" Before the nursemaid could anyhow address her, The Fire Lord cut in.

"..." She was quiet for a moment before drawing a short breath. "If he doesn't turn out to be a fire-bender while we affirmed he was one-" She made direct eye contact with The Fire Lord. "- Both The Fire Lord AND our great nation would be twice as disappointed, would they not?"

She barely kept herself from vomiting, clutching her stomach.

"...Indeed." Was all the man offered as a response. He could almost sound sympathetic if it weren't for the apathetic glance.

"Where is my grandchild?" He slowly asked her.

Ursa frowned.

"Hell if I know..." She let out a weak chuckle. "These three took him away before I could even look at him." The nursemaids almost seemed to deflate visually.

"Y-your highness!-" The same one almost yelled. "- Since he was born too early, we needed to check certain things..."

As she tried to stand up, ready to yell, Azulon stopped her by a motion of his hand.

"And what did you check?" He calmly asked, but the threat in his voice was easy to spot.

"I-I we-"

"Or did you take a child away from his mother just to look at his eyes?"

"..." The woman just stood there, trembling.

"...No matter, show him to us." The man said in a dismissive tone, sitting next to Ursa.

"Did they even give anything to numb the pain?" He cringed as he asked her the question, putting his chin on the back of his hand.

"..." Ursa just looked at him silently, before looking away and shrugging.

"...You act just like my wife." He let out a quick, frustrated sigh, before turning to the approaching nursemaid.

"Here he is, my lord."

Both The Lord and The Princess glared at her.

"Let me hold him." The Princess commanded.

"But pri-!"

"You heard her." Quickly said Azulon.

The woman, without hesitation, quickly approached Ursa with the baby in her arms.

"Here y-you are..." She muttered as the Princess gently took the baby from her grasp.

"...Thank you." She almost whispered, directing most gratitude towards The Fire Lord, who just nodded in response.

"Here you are..." She smiled at the small round face that was looking at her, with its golden eyes.

...Without crying.

Azulon groaned.

"I'll never understand how you women find those wrinkly things cute." She could hear the joke in his voice as he spoke, but that wasn't the time.

"You *took a look* did you not?" She addressed the nursemaids.

"Did you notice something weird?" She asked, trembling with rage, noticing that even the Fire Lord tensed.

"I've myself helped with labor several times throughout my life, each time a baby was born, they screamed almost the moment they left the womb, unless there was something wrong..."

She barely kept herself from snapping.

"Azulon?"

"I've called the doctor the moment I've heard... he should be here any moment now." There was a slight panic in his voice as well.

As silence fell upon then room, the door swung open.

"WHY WASN't I INFORMED OF THIS!?" Everyone turned their attention towards the figure at the entrance.

"...Ozai..." The Fire Lord covered his face with his hand.

"Well!?"

"You WERE informed." Azulon responded.

"Wha- WHEN!?" Ursa felt the child in her embrace shiver as her husband's voice pierced the silence.

"During the war meeting-" The Fire Lord sighed. "Both of us were informed by the servants your wive, herself, sent." He stood up and approached the impulsive prince. "I got here as fast as I could as the child's grandfather and your wive's father-in-law." He continued, now, towering over his son. "I hoped that you would do the same as the father and the husband..."

"But clearly,  _ my expectations of you were too high. _ "

At this point, the prince's face was the color of a ripe tomato.

"The meeting was almost over, and we just started discussing the rebellion in one of our colonies." He tried to retaliate. "If we don't deal with it as fast as we can, it might become a problem."

The Fire Lord only scoffed.

"Which one?" He simply asked.

"Excuse me?" His son gaped, dumbfounded.

"Which one?" Azulon repeated. "Last time I checked, and believe me, I do that often-" He quickly added. "-There were sixteen small uprising in different colonies this morning, so, which one was it?"

"The one at *The First Harbor*, they already managed to destroy one of our factories."

"And to get themselves wiped out." 

The door slightly creaked. Though neither royals seemed to notice that.

"Princess Ursa, forgive me for this delay." Whispered the doctor, trying to be unnoticeable to Ozai and his father.

"How did it go?" She asked, trying to redirect the Princesse's attention from the arguing.

"It went well, but the baby is yet to cry." She answered, trying to sound as calm as possible.

A soft *Oh* escaped the doctor's lips at her little report.

"..." Ursa slightly straightened her posture to give the doctor more access to the baby.

A few minutes passed in a whim, and the two men finally calmed down.

"Is something wrong with him?" Ursa glared at her husband as he asked that.

"...It's hard to tell." Slowly said the doctor, Yong, was it?

"Everything seems to be fine, the reactions, the heartbeat, the breathing. Everything seems completely fine he just seems..."

She paused, picking the right word.

"Passive."

"That's it?" Ursa asked with relief in her voice.

"Yes, but I still need to run some tests, just to be sure." She nodded.

"Do you need to do it now or..?" 

"Oh. No, if it would have been something serious, you could tell from just a small examination, like now." Calmly answered Yong. "For now let's wait a few days, just tell me if something seems worrying, and we'll run the full examination next week. Sounds good?"

The Princess looked at her son, who was glancing between everyone in the room, almost observing them.

"Yes, thank you." She nodded to the doctor in sign of gratitude, who bowed in return, and addressed the fire lord.

"Will that be all?"

"Yes, you can resume your daily routine now." Azulon answered.

"May Agni be your guidelight." Yong muttered, exiting the room.

"..."

Ursa looked down on her son. She was observing his features, frowning. His face was calm, yet nervous, something she often saw from children to elders, but never infants. That already meant he was different, and that his life could become very...*complicated*...

Especially in this place.

"So, this is my child?" Her husband suddenly asked.

"Yes." She answered him, trying to sound not as tired as she was.

"This is  _ our _ son - Zuko." Ursa made a soft, barely noticeable, emphasis on the *our*.

" _ Zuko _ ? You already picked a name?" He questioned, in a somewhat condescending manner, likely, understanding that she named their son after her father.

Even though he said that he wanted to name their child after his father, to try to get on his good graces.

"I guess that's fair, since I was late." He retreated, knowing that arguing in front of his father about such a matter was a terrible idea.

"Had the nursemaid said if he was a fire-bender?"

One of the said nursemaid stepped in front.

"Yes, your highness, the boy has the eyes of a fir-benders, but they're... weird. To say the least..." Ursa perked up at that. and looked at her son.

His eyes were indeed ones usually seen in fire-benders - golden, even more so than most.

But the irises were what concerned her. Their shape wasn't round, but one of a four-pointed star. And even their color wasn't one you could usually see.

'It did mention that something like that could happen.' She recalled her meeting with the black spirit.

"Good, leave us." Her thoughts were cut short by Ozai's voice.

"Father, if you don't mind. I wanted to speak to Ursa alone." He spoke, bowing.

"...Very well, don't forget to notify your brother of his nephew's birth." He turned away. "Have a good night, Ursa, you deserve it." He said with a small smile.

'...This man.' Ursa still couldn't figure him out. Sometimes he acted cold, almost melancholic, other times he acted smug and mischevious, and sometimes he executed servants for the smallest of things.

After everyone left the room her husband turned to her.

"You could have waited, now I won't be able to-"

"I don't think your father is the kind of person to appreciate people naming their children after him, besides, you'll still get your chance." She interrupted his whining.

He made a sound that was between a chuckle and a snort.

"How so? Are you actually planning on us making another one?" She tilted her head, looking at the cieling, before shrugging, halfheartedly.

'It's gonna happen either way.' She frowned, remembering the spirit's description of what kind of relationship she could have with her second daughter.

Ozai silently stood before her, before sighing and sitting in the chair beside her bed.

"..."

"..."

They both stared at the child, each knowing to a certain point that this was a mistake, Azulon probably thought so as well.

The marriage, or whatever this was, wasn't going to work, not the way they wanted or imagined it to.

Maybe, at first there was some sort of ghostly, non-existent chance...

...But not anymore.

Deep inside. Ursa knew that this was bound to fail, one way or another, no matter how it started.

...

...

| Present|

"Good evening, Ursa."

"Aunt Ursa!"

She smiled, snapping out of her thoughts, waving at Lu Ten and Iroh, they just returned from their trip to the Amber Island.

"Can I see him!? Can I!?" The boy asked with sparkling eyes. Ursa only chuckled.

"Be my guest."

She slightly opened her embrace, revealing the, now, sleeping baby.

"He's so small-!" Lu Ten almost shouted with the goofiest smile Ursa seen anyone have in a while. "-and wrinkly!" Both of the adults barely kept themselves from laughing.

"Pardon him." Iroh apologized, patting his son's shoulder. "He means well. It's just that he doesn't know how to show it." He added, letting out a little laugh.

Ursa just smiled at them, slightly shaking her head.

"It's alright. How was your trip?"

The smile on her nephew's face became bigger.

"It was so cool! There were so many people there! There was this theatre place-!" The boy went on about the trip for about ten minutes straight while his father and aunt listened.

"My prince." One of the servants came up to them, bowing.

"The Fire Lord requires your presence in the war room." 

"..." Iroh silently stood up before turning to Ursa and Lo Ten.

"Lu Ten. Do you mind if I leave you with your aunt for about an hour?"

Her nephew slightly nodded his head.

Iroh hugged his son, crouching in front of him.

"Don't worry. I'm going to be back in no time!" He reassured him, grinning.

"Don't exhaust your aunt." He quickly added, glancing apologetically at Ursa.

After he left, she and the two children just sat and looked at each other.

Sighing, Ursa sloppily took out a loaf of bread, offering it to her nephew.

"Do you like feeding turtle-ducks?"

| Meanwhile at the Northern Water Tribe: Tui & La's P.O.V.s |

_ "What were you thinking!? Giving part of your spiritual energy to that girl so easily!?"  _ Tui cringed at the voice of their partner, La.

_ "Come o-o-o-on La. Her father is the Northern Chieftain! If I didn't bless his ill infant, the news would spread in a blink of an eye!" _ The moon spirit groaned telepathically, speeding up so that the ocean spirit wouldn't be able to bite off a chunk of the other fish's tail.

_ "Besides! Now, if anything will happen to me - that girl will be able to replace me!"  _ The moon spirit felt the water around itself, heat up rapidly.  _ "Is it just me, or did it suddenly become hot in here?" _ Tui tried to crack one of their jokes. They always managed to cheer La up!... Sadly, not this time.

_ "And what if something happens to HER!?"  _ There was panic in La's voice.  _ "You'll lose a part of yourself! You'll become weakened! Of all times to listen to someone's prayers! You chose the time of a hundred years war!"  _ If Tui were human, they would try to comfort La.

_ "La, breathe." _

_ "This is just a corpse of a fish I posses I am literally incapable of actually breathing you ass." _

_ "Oh, right, sorry."  _ Tui sighed, calculating their next move.

_ "Come on, La, please. I know you're angry about me being ruthless..." _

_ " _ **_ Idiotic. _ ** _ "  _ La quickly corrected them.

_ "Alright, idiotic. But Arnook is one of the best chieftains the north pole has had in centuries! If I didn't answer his prayers, we would shake the trust we build with the water tribes to the root, including that they haven't prayed to us in quite a while. And let's not forget what Wan Shi Tong told us..." _

_ "...That human. He still lives?" _

_ "Unfortunately. Yes." _

A small, uncertain pause followed.

La has been on edge ever since they received the news of a human visiting the library of *He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things*. And destroying the entirety of the fire nation section. While also getting the information on how to rid water-benders of their abilities-

\- which meant murdering Tui, the moon spirit.

_ "Making that girl the vessel for my energy is one of the best ways to ensure your and the water-tribe's safety." _

_ "That doesn't mean-" _

_ "La."  _ Tui firmly interrupted.

_ "Listen, I know you're worried, I am too, but we can't protect ourselves by just pushing and pulling like we did for the last millennia. Making the girl my heir as the moon spirit is only in case of that man ever using the knowledge he received. Please, trust me, we will get through this." _ Tui tried to make their voice as calming as possible, slightly brushing their fins against La's forehead.

_ "Now, will you tell me what got you so bothered?" _

_ "...I have no idea what you're talking about." _

Tui chuckled.

_ "La, I've known you since the day I was born. Choosing an heir isn't even the worst thing I've done in the past century. You were calm the whole time. And I mean like-  _ **_ disturbingly  _ ** _ calm. That's the first time I've seen you like this. So spill it." _

Tui could feel their partner wavering, clearly hesitating about if they can tell about whatever has been bothering them to the moon spirit.

_ "If it's something you don't want to talk about - there's no pressure." _

The black fish slightly shook its head.

_ "No. It's just very troubling, are you sure you're ready for what it is." _

"Is that even a question?"

A small giggle escaped from La.

_ "I guess not." _

La paused for a second, thinking of how to put the information.

_ "There is an *Entity* in the spiritual world." _

_ "An *Entity*? Not a spirit? Are you sure it's not a human meditating?" _

_ "Could a human defeat Agni and consume the majority of his spiritual energy?" _

The atmosphere changed in a blink of an eye.

_ "...What?"  _ The moon spirit choked out. _ "La, don't joke like that."  _ But the ocean spirit remained silent.  _ "...You  _ **_ are  _ ** _ joking. Right?" _ But the silence already answered their question.

_ "Which one of the Great spirits did it!?" _

_ "Tui. It wasn't a spirit..."  _ La shook their head. _ "Or at least not a great one. It appeared only a week ago, while you were recovering from the ritual." _ The moon spirit gulped, knowing that only powerful spirits that existed either before, or shortly after the creation of the avatar, had the right to be called great.

Agni was the spirit of fire, considered to be one of the most powerful Great Spirits that existed when the physical and spiritual worlds weren't separated. He was pretty popular the last time Tui checked, small brain, big heart, a bit territorial but overall a sweet guy. How the fuck did he get himself into fighting something so strong?

_ "The moment it appeared, it was bringing destruction." _

_ "But that's normal! Hundreds of small spirits destroy stuff! Why would Agni even bother taking it out!?" _

_ "...It killed Koh, and destroyed the Fog of Lost Souls." _

_ "...Impossible." _

_ "...It already consumed countless spirits, weak and not-so before Agni tried to kill it. He was one of the only few who could at least try to stop it. But now that even he was defeated and-"  _ Both of them almost vomited. _ "-...Consumed, nobody knows what to do..." _

The only two things that could kill a spirit while it was in the spirit world were.

Destroying the thing or concept it represents. As in anger, unity, the lake that that spirit is considered the guardian of, and the like.

The other one is the *consuming*.

Only someone who has experience working with spirits can perform it.

In the process, the being that *consumes*, does just that, consumes the spiritual energy of its opponent. But from a spirit's perspective...

...It's the same as eating someone alive. It's a taboo for a spirit, even considering its usage can be thought of as the gravest of crimes.

_ "What kind of moron would go against such a monster on their own!?" _

_ "He...he didn't really have a choice." _ La took in a long breath.  _ "That creature took a form of a dragon." _

_ "Oh." _ This might seem like something small, but not in the case with spirits.

_ "All of the other Great Spirits accused Agni of either creating the beast, or somehow influencing it into becoming what it is. And tasked him with stopping it." _

_ "...I see..."  _ Tui whispered.

_ "But..."  _ La stopped themselves from talking.

_ "But what?"  _ The moon spirit anxiously asked, praying to Raava that the worst was already said.

_ "They accuse us of being somehow tied to this-"  _ They almost choked. _ "-this  _ **_ thing. _ ** _ " _

The moon spirit stopped, they stopped pulling.

_ "Is it because I got myself an heir at the same time as the beast appeared?" _

La nodded.

_ "They think we knew that it was coming and started preparing for it without warning anyone else."  _

That  _ slightly  _ made sense, at least more sense than why they accused Agni...

_ "This is my fault-"  _ Tui choked out.  _ "-If I would just...Listen to you. This wouldn't happen. And you endured it, alone... because of me..." _

_ "It's okay... None of this is your fault."  _ La soothed them _. "No one could predict the beast's appearance." _ They added, clearly calmer, after getting everything out of their system.

_ "Like you said. We'll get through this.  _ **_ Together. _ ** _ " _

**_ "...Together." _ ** Tui responded, restarting their cyclic dance, of pushing and pulling.

_ "Did someone come here? From the spirit world? Did they tell you everything?" _

_ "...You could say that." _

_ "Who was it?" _

_ "One of Wan Shi Tong's knowledge seekers." Tui frowned. _

_ "Does he accuse us as well?" _

_ "No." _

_ "Then-" _

_ "He offered his help." _

The white fish choked.

_ "Wan Shi Tong?" _

_ "Yes." _

_ "The same, old "I'm gonna murder you if you ever come into my library ever again you piece of shitty ass smelly fish fins trash bitch." Wan Shi Tong?" _

La cringed at the description.

_ "Yes." _

_ "Bullshit, he would let Raava herself be consumed alive just to see what happens and write it down." _

_ "Exactly." _

_ "What do yo- oh my god- he wants us to somehow get this thing for him, doesn't he." _

La looked away.

_ "He did say that he has a plan. And wants to discuss it with us in his library." _

_ "You don't need to go." _

_ "Wha-" _

_ "La, it's my fault we're in this mess. This could be a trap for all we know. I'm just gonna look if what you were told is true." _

La broke the dance.

_ "And what if it  _ **_ is _ ** _ a trap? Are you just going to let yourself get caught without me?"  _

Tui grumbled.

_ "At least I have an heir that will take my place."  _ They countered the ocean spirit.  _ "I know-" _

_ "No."  _ La suddenly intervened.

_ "You said we're going to get through this together, so we're dealing with this together."  _ They made a small emphasis at each *together".

Tui sighed.

_ "Fine... But I will be unbearingly overprotective of you-" _ They smugly added.  _ "-Deal?" _

La rolled their eyes.

_ "Deal." _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How I Imagined Zuko's eyes: https://coubsecure-s.akamaihd.net/get/b157/p/coub/simple/cw_timeline_pic/5a34be30b3c/23a290cd7cec462b06c40/med_1550170184_image.jpg


	3. Chapter 3

Bella apathetically looked down on the creature lying at her feet.

"Pathetic." She muttered, turning away from her red-scaled meal.

"...W-Wait..." She walked, as if not hearing the exhausted and broken plea.

But she abruptly stopped, as something grabbed her by the tip of her dragon form's tail.

"I..." The now small and humanoid pest coughed out, along with its blood. Was it blood, though? "I can't let you live... y-you already killed so many innocent spirits..."

'Oh, don't tell me it's going to cry?' She let out a weak laugh, tired from all the destruction she brought here.

"A Houkai Beast with a consciousness..." Bella started to whisper, turning towards the beast. "Were you given a name?"

The golden-haired figure stared at her in shock.

"You know how to-!? What does my name matter to you!?"

Bella glared at it.

She clicked her tongue, piercing its shoulder with an ice spear.

"!?" She could see that the being could hardly stop its scream, that will teach it, she basked in the creature's suffering.

"Answer. The. Question." She pressured the lance with one of her claws.

"A-Agni, my name is Agni." So it did have a name.

"Well, Agni, now that I have your name, I can introduce myself as well."

Bella backed down a little bit from Agni, taking on her human form.

She stoke a small pose, preparing her brief introduction speech.

"Hear me, Agni, and whoever witnessed our battle-" She knew someone was watching them during their battle, they were most likely the ones to send Agni here.

"-My name is  ** Benares- ** !" She raised her voice, throwing her hands in the air, summoning lightning.

"-The bringer of Armageddon, Humanity's Death! The pet to the beautiful yet deadly Sirin! The Queen of Houkai!" She pridefully proclaimed.

"I thought your kind to be kin-" She turned to Agni. "-Yet the moment I let my guard down, I was stabbed in my back." She frowned, showing her fangs.

"So, I punished you for your sin." She slightly raised Agni's chin with her index finger.

"The spirit-"

"Well then, goodbye." She interrupted Agni, spreading her wings.

She took off of the ground, waking a typhoon, to avoid chase.

'This was fun.' Bella thought to herself, with a blank expression.

'...Where are you?' Her thoughts returned to her queen.

'No matter where you are, what you became, or what stands between us-' She gritted her teeth. '-I'll find you, and I'll make sure that no matter what opposes you-

**_ -It shall suffer a fate worse than whatever its rotting head is capable of imagining.' _ **

**__ **

**__ ** | Wan Shi Tong's P.O.V a week later |

"..."

"..."

"...Idiot." He bluntly said, looking down at the beat spirit lying in front of him in his library.

"Sorry..." Agni whimpered in response.

"I've already sent word to Tui and La, if what this *Benares* told you isn't some sort of tactical move, we can use it to our advantage." The wise spirit continued, motioning his seekers to carry Agni to a more comfortable location.

"Did you figure out which spirit *stabbed her in her back*?" The dragon asked in a slightly more relaxed manner.

"It was most likely Koh, he was the first spirit the beast came in contact with... However, I do not know what it meant when it said that he stabbed it in the back." The avian spirit closed his obsidian eyes, letting out something in between a frustrated and exhausted sighs.

"It  _ did _ mention that *Sirin* person." Agni noted.

"Do you think that person was pulling strings?" Wan Shi Tong did a hundred and eighty degrees in Agni's direction.

"...No. No, I don't think so-." He tried to shake his head. "-Ouch! It... really worked me over..." Agni sighed, seeming depressed.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"..." Agni fell silent, calculating his reply.

"I think that Sirin is a being that has significance with Benares. I noticed that most of the places it destroyed had something to do with keeping humans or spirits inside itself. The fog of forgotten souls, and Koh both could, one way or another, work as jails. The fog for the souls, and Koh for faces." Agni coughed what seemed to be blood before continuing. "Perhaps Benares noticed that Koh had face-related abilities, and approached him in hopes of him helping it find Sirin. Either way, if he agreed or not, she would show emotion, be it relief, happiness, anger, or frustration." The owl spirit stopped.

"And then he would try to take its face. If he agreed it would be natural for Benares to be angry... But not with Koh. And why would it bring havoc to the rest of the spirit world?" The dragon spirit just stared at him with a weird expression on his face.

"Seriously, 'Tong'?" Wan Shi Tong cringed at the old nickname, from the time he was just an owlet.

"So, you disagree?"

"Yes." Wan Shi Tong sighed.

"Why?"

"Because Benares doesn't seem like a spirit, it consumes, it doesn't seem to know a name, not of The Great Spirits, at least. And lastly, it doesn't even seem to know what a spirit is exactly."

"...That  _ does  _ seem weird. But what do you suggest as an explanation in that case?"

"It might be a creature from another world."

"...Do you have any proof of that theory?"

"Raava and Vaatu were the first beings to exist in this world, do you know what both of them told me, or anyone else of The Great Spirits when we asked either of them of what they saw before we existed?"

Wan Shi Tong hardly kept himself from groaning.

"You know I hadn't existed yet."

The dragon slightly nodded.

"They, both of them answered that they didn't remember anything before this world, and that they were ones of the ten thousand firstborn beings that existed in the moment of the world's birth." The owl spirit frowned at that statement.

"Ten thousand beings? Why didn't-!?" Before the knowledge spirit could inquire as to why he has not heard of that up to this moment, the fire spirit interrupted him.

"Well... Ten thousand and one to be exact. Raava and Vaatu, the four elemental Lion-Turtles, and all others were various animals that slowly evolved into what we know as ostrich-horses, polar bear-dogs, and so on, including humans... And a being that preceded them all. None knew what it was, but the only thing that came to mind to Raava after feeling its presence was a word with no meaning, *God*."

"A *God*? Never heard that word." 

"After they appeared in this world, each knowing what their purpose was since their birth. The Lion-Turtles started awaiting the creation of the human species. And Raava and Vaatu started their eternal rivalry."

"You mean to say that they initially knew what their purpose was? Without living a single day on their own? And where were other spirits? Where were you?" Wan Shi Tong started frantically asking, seeing holes in the story.

"Raava and Vaatu were the only firstborn spirits, I was born after many millennia, just a hundred years before the first avatar appeared. There are many spirits much older than that, though most of them perished long ago." Agni answered the question, shaking his head.

Wan Shi Tong exhaled sharply, trying to calm himself.

"Well then, how does that information relate to the current situation?" He strictly questioned, even if what Agni said was true, this didn't affect their investigation all that much.

The dragon clenched his jaw, clearly hesitating.

"What if that *God* creature somehow responsible for this? Raava described it as a being that held absolute power over everything that existed in both physical and spiritual realms before disappearing without a trace. She even said that it could be the being that created this world as it is. Perhaps, for some reason, it created, or transported here, these Benares and Sirin, as means of starting a new era as it did with Raava and Vaatu... or maybe it was just bored. I can't say for sure."

Wan Shi Tong looked at the spirit, before groaning.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that this is a considerable explanation, we don't know if that *God* still exists. Raava could be wrong. There are too many uncertainties."

He took in a breath.

"You still didn't answer why Benares would attack anyone else other than Koh."

"Because we are of the same kind of beings." 'Tong rolled his eyes, though it was unnoticeable with how black they were.

"And so what?"

"It called me a Houkai beast, and that it thought *my kind* to be its kin. Perhaps that what it knows spirits to be, and maybe in the world it was before, spirits all worked together for the same cause, that's why she trusted Koh, and when he attacked Benares, it thought that all other spirits would do the same." The knowledge spirit sighed, covering his eyes with his wing.

"There are too many maybes... Tui and La agreed to cooperate, we'll try negotiating this time. And even if we fail, Benares won't be able to harm them since they will only astrally project themselves here. If we fail, other Great Spirits agreed to create a strategy to subdue it together." Agni frowned, chuckling.

"Oh! So NOW they agree to help." The knowledge spirit slightly knocked one of his horns.

"Ouch!"

"Stop whining, you knew at least half of them are mad at you for still associating yourself with the fire nation." Wan Shi Tong pouted, hearing the quiet 'Asshole' coming from the dragon.

"You know that I don't approve of this whole supremacy thing, right?"

"Yeah, I know, but other spirits are scared of what will happen if this will go on for any longer."

A small silence fell over them. Wan Shi Tong turned away From Agni, preparing to leave.

"Just rest for now. Benares seems to have gotten tired from its destruction. Everything will be fine." He tried to reassure the beat fire spirit. 

"...Fine... Wake me up when they get here." Agni quietly blurted out before closing his eyes.

"Very well." He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things answered, leaning towards one of his knowledge spirits. "Make sure he's comfortable here." The fox only nodded.

The spirit started to walk away, but turned his head towards the fox at the last moment.

"Oh, and tell your eldest sister to meet me at the main hall, I have a task for her."

| The Fire Lord's Palace's gardens Ursa's P.O.V|

She and Lu Ten had quite the blast feeding the turtle-ducks at the garden's pond.

At first, they just sat awkwardly beside each other, sometimes throwing a few bread crumbs to the turtle-ducks, Ursa sometimes *talking* to her son.

But after about thirty minutes, and they finally started talking to each other.

First, it was some  _ really _ awkward small talk, Lu Ten didn't know what things he could say to Ursa since he didn't have much experience talking to women, because of his mother's death during childbirth. And most of the servants that were put under royals were of the same gender to *avoid inappropriate relationships*. Even though there were many same-sex relationships even after Sozin's oppressive measures against them. Unfortunately, they were frowned upon for almost as long as the war has been going on.

"Can you tell me about the play you mentioned earlier?" She softly asked, trying not to push too much.

"About the blue spirit?" The boy enthusiastically asked, with sparkling eyes.

"Yes." She smiled, encouraging him.

"W-well... there was this spirit." Lu Ten shyly started, twisting his fingers to calm himself.

He went on about the play for a while, Ursa noticed that he was quite passionate about it.

"..." She listened to him talking with a smile on her face for about an hour before the sun started setting.

"It seems dad's really busy..." Lu Ten noticed that its well past the time Iroh said he would be back.

"Don't worry, something serious must have come up at the meeting." Ursa reassured him.

"You're probably right..." The boy responded, hugging his legs.

"..." Several minutes passed in a blink of an eye before Zuko started shifting in Ursa's embrace.

"Oh, look who just woke up." She smiled at her son, positioning him, and herself, in a way that would let the infant get a better look both on his cousin and mother.

"Hi!" Lu Ten jumped as his cousin's golden eyes drilled into him.

Her son only looked between them before clutching her robe, almost glaring at Lu Ten.

"It seems he'll need some time to warm up to you." Ursa chuckled.

"My princess." Both of them jumped, only now noticing that one of the servants came up to them.

"The royal doctor asks for you and prince Zuko." The servant said while bowing.

"Oh." Ursa whispered to herself, glancing at her nephew, who had visually tensed up.

"Do you, by any chance, know if the meeting in the war room is over?" She turned her head towards the servant, slightly tilting it.

At first, the servant looked confused by her question. She never asked that, because usually servants assumed that she was asking *Do you know when my husband is going to be here?*, which she did not.

"Why do you-" During her time at the palace, Ozai made most servants in their wing into his puppets. He also made most of them think of her as of the *Country Bumpkin* of the royal family, and overall not really...*bright*, as he put it, dropping her image among the palace's staff immensely, making them presume she wasn't suited for some tasks. That meant that he could easily cut her off of most questions connected to administration and management, things that were meant to be a big part of her duties, restricting her as much as he could. "-oh..."

The servant's attitude changed the moment he'd seen Lu Ten.

"Prince Iroh asked me to look after his son while he was in the war room." Ursa calmly elaborated. "I can't just leave him, including that the crown prince asked me this favor, and I accepted." She made a small pause for a little dramatic effect. "So, I can't leave him until either his father returns, or I bring him to his father." She gave the servant a cold side glance, knowing full well that Ozai commanded them to lower her contact with anyone outside of their part of the palace as possible, especially other members of the royal family. Reporting to him would mean punishment for the servants for not monitoring her thoroughly.

"The meeting has not been disbanded yet." The servant answered, masking his irritation pretty well.

"Well then, Lu Ten, do you mind accompanying me to the doctor?" Both Lu Ten and the servant twitched at her offer.

"M-my princess I don't think-"

"Are you deaf? I asked the prince a question, it's not your place to answer." She cut the servant's attempt at seizing control like a guillotine.

Ozai would literally kill anyone who would let Iroh or his son find out something that would help them compete against him. Unlike him, she realized that neither of them were such vicious strategists... well, at least not Lu Ten. And she aimed to exploit both his cruel nature and desire for control, combined with the fear he implanted into his subordinates to her advantage.

"Well, Lu Ten, what do you say?" She gave her nephew a warm smile.

"I... Won't get in the way, will I?" Ursa shook her head.

"Of course not." She reassured her nephew.

"Then, let's go?"

She nodded.

"Let's go."

| Skip to the doctor's office. |

"Ah, princess Ursa I've been awaiting you." The doctor bowed.

"And I see you brought an unexpected companion with you." Yong said, addressing both the princess and Lu Ten.

"Hello." Lu Ten responded in a firm tone, something Ursa didn't expect, were they acquainted?

"You called me for the check-up you mentioned last weak, I presume?" She asked, sitting down on a chair next to the doctor's cabinet.

"Yes, did you notice something suspicious in the past week?" 

"No, the only suspicious thing I've noticed is that he only cries when I'm not around, and overall he's too quiet for an infant, but that's all, I'm not sure what to make out of it..." She told everything as it was, but her son's passive behavior was very concerning in person. At least for someone who had handled children before.

"...Well, then, I'm not going to pull the cat-owl by its tail. I think that your son might have a disorder, I'm not sure if the diagnosis is correct, but there's an easy way to affirm it. If you allow it." 

"A disorder..?" Ursa slowly began, while she suspected that that might be the case, actually hearing it, is, a crucially, different thing.

She gulped.

"Does it have a name." She inquired, trying to hide her emotions.

"It is most likely a disorder called *congenital insensitivity to pain*, I guess the name elaborates itself. It's a disorder that causes the sufferer not to feel any pain." Yong explained, before continuing. "In some cases, it might also cause the sufferer not to feel changes in temperature, not being able to smell, or even sweat. But only time will tell..." Yong slowly approached one of the bookcases in his office, taking one of the books, and giving it to Ursa on a bookmarked page.

Ursa adjusted her baby so that she could hold him with only one arm, before taking the book, and reading it.

_ *Congenital insensitivity to pain is a condition that inhibits the ability to perceive physical pain. From birth, affected individuals never feel pain in any part of their body when injured. People with this condition can feel the difference between sharp and dull and hot and cold, but cannot sense, for example, that a hot beverage is burning their tongue. This lack of pain awareness often leads to an accumulation of wounds, bruises, broken bones, and other health issues that may go undetected. Young children with congenital insensitivity to pain may have mouth or finger wounds due to repeated self-biting and may also experience multiple burn-related injuries. These repeated injuries often lead to a reduced life expectancy in people with congenital insensitivity to pain. Many people with congenital insensitivity to pain also have a complete loss of the sense of smell (anosmia).* _

"...So that's how it is..." She held the book with trembling hands.

"...And there is no cure?" Ursa hopefully asked the doctor.

The doctor sighed before shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, my princess, but, as of now, there is no known cure... even leaches won't help." She answered with sympathy in her voice.

"What about water bending? Will it help?" She trembled, quiet sobs slowly sneaking themselves into her sentences.

"Unfortunately, as of what data we have, water-bending won't be able to cure it, and even if the water benders of current generation found out some kind of wondrous technique, I doubt they would help. And the water-benders that were born in our nation... They have close to none healing skills, due to our inability to give them proper education in that field." Yong explained, while the shaken Lu Ten tried to reassure Ursa.

The boy couldn't do much... but he tried. He didn't know what to say, so he just put his hand on her shoulder sympathetically, that's what his father usually did when he didn't know what to say

"I'm alright, I just need to process... this." She shakily put the book down.

"...What should I do?" She raised her eyes at the doctor.

"...For now, just keep a close eye on him, some children with congenital insensitivity to pain tend to do things that other children would never do."

"As in..?" She questioned.

The doctor fell silent, cringing, and overall looking uncomfortable.

"Well... there was a recording of a child chewing half of their tongue before the parents noticed..." Everyone in the room except for Zuko cringed at the thought.

"So, I need to monitor him?" Ursa tried to keep her voice calm and steady.

"For now, yes." Yong nodded her head.

"...I see." She stayed silent for a moment calming herself.

"...Au-" Before Lu Ten could say anything, the door to the office opened.

"Lu Ten! Sorry I've been away for too long..." It was Iroh.

"Dad!" A small smile appeared on Lu Ten's face, but it disappeared after a moment.

"Aunt Ursa..." Ursa stopped him by a simple motion of her hand.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"But-"

"What is it?" Her brother in law cut in, with a mixture of concern and confusion in his expression.

"Nothing you need to worry about." Ursa cut in before either Yong or Lu Ten could say anything.

"Besides. I have something I need to do on my own..." She tried to make up an excuse, brushing her fingers on the earing the black spirit gave her.

"Ok..." Lu Ten blurted out, understanding something.

"Thank you again for looking after him, Ursa-" Iroh bowed to her, with a concerned smile. "-If you have time, I would like to invite you and my brother to my part of the palace, we haven't talked in too long." She nodded.

"I'll pass it to Ozai, I'm sure he'll be delighted to visit." He won't.

"Until the next time, then."

"Bye, aunt Ursa..." Lu Ten awkwardly waved at her, as he and his father left.

"...I think I should leave as well." She stood up, turning to the door.

"Wait! Before you go." Yong suddenly called out to her. Stepping closer.

"I have a lot of literature that might help you in raising the prince, may I carry all of the material to your chambers?"

"That would be very helpful, actually, thank you." Ursa tried to slightly bow before the doctor stopped her.

"No need, it's my job and duty as the royal doctor, if you need anything else, please, tell immediately." 

Ursa smiled.

"I will."

She went out of the office, fastening her pace, aiming to arrive at the most secluded part of the palace as fast as possible, the late Fire Lady's chambers.

'It's time to have a talk...' She brushed her earing.


	4. Chapter 4

Ursa stormed into what could have been easily mistaken as ruins of a long-abandoned castle from a fairy-tale, the palace of the late Fire Lady.

The colorful, blood-colored walls that once were painted with beautiful mosaics and tales long forgotten by the dust of history.

The sculptures and friezes that decorated the luxurious halls and columns that separated them and the garden were chipped, cracked, and shattered, with small pieces of stone and marble scattered around on the pitch-black floors and intricately woven carpets.

The chandeliers that once carried fire and light into the night were covered with rust and dust. Some of them broken, some just lying around. Most candles were either broken or absent from their place on their chandelier, giving off a strange, weird scent, the only thing left from the ecstatic aromas they once gave off.

The rotten tapestries, once picturing wonderous legends and historical events that were painted exclusively for the Lady of the palace, smelled of decay and dread, their colors faint and damaged along with the fabrics.

The wooden columns that once supported the building. As well as the hopes and dreams of whoever worked at this, once beautiful, place. Had been tainted and defiled with time, and plants, slowly breaking out from the small swamp that once was a garden that all ladies of The Fire Nation desired to witness.

This is the symbol of the Fire Lord's mourning.

The princess's heavy garments had awoken a small breeze that disturbed that pathetic place, along with her swift steps.

The child that was gently embraced in her arms had been eyeing the palace's interior with wonder, in his sparkling, golden eyes.

The woman stopped in front of one distinct painting.

It was a painting of a family.

There was a man in about his early fourties. His raven hair, with occasional white hair, gathered in a bun that was held with the royal heirloom that resembled a flame, created an image of a wise ruler. But the warm, genuine smile was the thing that completed the perception.

The man had his hand on the younger one's shoulder.

The man was definitely in his late teens at the time of the painting's making. Had a big smile on his face, Ursa immediately recognized the current crown prince.

The last was... The woman beside them...

Ilah, the previous Fire Lady, was what Ursa would call the ultimate embodiment of the concept of a *lady*.

Her face was calm with half-closed, joyful eyes, her small smile was caring, but held in a way that helped her look somewhat stern, her oaky hair was gathered in a traditional fire nation hairstyle, similar to Ursa's. The few wrinkles that were on her relatively young face brought her more elegance, rather than making her look older.

'A happy family...' The princess thought to herself, looking at the babe in her arms.

She adjusted the blanket before sighing and proceeding on her way.

'No more.' She did not know much of the incident, only that it was the day of Ozai's birth.

The Fire Lady was beloved both by her people and her family, along with being an intelligent woman who netted cunning intrigues and plans as they were a simple embroidery. That made her a target for everyone in the other kingdoms and nations to strike down.

Nevertheless, that did not mean that she had no foes inside the fire nation as well.

She was powerful, that made all wary of her, not only that, but she also put a lot of effort into improving the lives of the simple folk. Giving them access to jobs previously only taken by those of high status. That, of course, enraged most nobles.

But of course, assassinating her would-be suicide for a reason.

Azulon's love for her.

It would not be an exaggeration to none could even approach him even when he was the crown prince. So everyone was shocked when he, himself, chose an almost commoner lady whose blood was mixed with water benders of the southern tribe. As it turned out, it was her that approached him first. Not only that, she advised him on many questions that someone of his position could not easily find answers to.

It was plain obvious just how much he cherished and trusted her compared to any other person.

And of course, many nobles, high and low, were poisoned with jealousy for the mysterious mixed woman that swayed the next Fire Lord. Obviously, many assassination attempts followed. And each failed, undermined by Ilah, herself, either by her excellent tactics, or her deadly fire.

Some say she was an even better fire bender than her husband.

Her talent and demeanor was the thing that first sparked Azulon's interest, got his attention, and then gave her his heart. She was a wonderful mother to Iroh as well.

But, on the day she gave birth to the second prince, she died. Both the fire lord and his son were absent because of a massive rebellion taking place at the earth kingdom's coasts. They received the news of Ilah's passing a month since it happened.

Many rumors have surrounded the event. And the change it caused to the family...

To be quick, they drifted apart, each of them blamed themselves to a certain extent.

The Fire Lord could not accept the thought of Ilah dying during childbirth simply because, in his eyes, she was too strong to pass away so easily. And so, he started a form of investigation. Looking for those who could have had any intent to hurt her, blinded by his grief.

Iroh was forced to help his father in his mad plan. Many people, guilty and not, died of this investigation.

In the end, more than half of the noble families had been punished for various crimes. Azulon could not find those standing behind his wife's death simply because there was no one behind it. However, they did get rid of various other problems, human trafficking, abuse of power, theft, serial murderers, all of them committed by high nobles. While the left high nobles called it a massacre, and a *waste of time*, they still understood that it brought much more good than wrong, and kept quiet, the fact that they would become suspects played a role in that, the possible rioting and protests as well. The commoners, along with lower nobles, considered it a blessing, which elevated Azulon's reputation beyond compare.

However, the investigation DID traumatize Iroh on several levels, and he was depressed for a few years... or so the rumors say.

More than that, after the investigation was over and Azulon finally accepted that there was no culprit behind Ilahs death, both him and Iroh started to blame themselves even more for not being there for her. Resulting in even more issues with their mental health.

Unfortunately, Azulon, for some reason, started neglecting and ignoring Ozai. She wasn't sure what was the deal with that but, most people she asked, including Iroh, told her that Azulon partly blamed Ozai for Ilah's death. Of course, it resulted in trauma. Iroh wasn't as much of a bad case. But his care alone wasn't enough to keep Ozai on track, including the fact that most people ignored and neglected his younger brother since everyone thought the Fire Lord did not care about him, resulting in several complexes. So, in the end, this whole family is a mess... in many ways.

'How is anyone in this place sane? Oh. Wait. They aren't...' The toxicity of the whole situation made her shudder.

'So far, the only ones who seem somewhat sane are Iroh, Lu Ten, Yong, and some of the servants... None from our part of the palace, of course.' She cringed. Turning her gaze from the painting.

'Where is the library..?' As far as she knew, the only thing that the staff managed to convince Azulon to take out of Ilah's palace were the books. If there was any person at this hour, they would definitely be a thief, and an empty library definitely wasn't a place any thief would go to. It was the most fitting place for speaking with the spirit.

She walked around the almost ghostly palace for another ten minutes before finally finding the library.

When she got in, she found the room almost empty, with only several bookshelves, chairs, and some simple, iron chandeliers with candles. Just as she thought, there was nothing to steal.

She stood in the middle of the room, holding Zuko tightly. And took of the earing with one single motion, somehow, she didn't have to get her ear pierced, the accessory just stuck to her ear somehow.

'So, now, I pray.' She gripped the earing in her free hand.

'Come out, you deceiving arse.' She thought to herself as the same silhouette from few months back appeared before her.

"Sup'." It seemed like the being made some sort of symbol with its hand, but Ursa couldn't figure it out since its limbs blended in with its torso.

"...So-" It seemed like the spirit scratched the back of its head. "-How's it going?" It awkwardly asked, it definitely knew about the disorder.

"Did you know about it?" She sharply asked, almost scolding the entity.

"...Yes, but before you say anything else, I just wanna let you know that It wasn't there before, but I couldn't remove it due to the contract with the entity I bound to him." The spirit quickly answered.

The princess questioningly looked at it.

"And what does that mean?" She asked.

"Well, I told you that to protect your child -- Zuko, right?" She nodded, not surprised that the being already knew his name. "I merged a soul of a powerful entity with his soul, she asked to have a new start with no memories of her past... it was traumatizing. She also requested that she would not feel pain in her life. It was like payment to her, along with some other things. As of now, she and your son are one person. But some of her memories, mostly instincts, are still there. So don't worry, he won't chew off his tongue or something like that... you might need a helmet, though." Ursa frowned at that. It told her most of this on their first two meetings.

"Why?"

"Yong will explain." It calmly answered.

"Is there anything else you didn't bother to tell me?" She asked sharply.

"Couldn't you just dull the pain!?" She continued. The being, raised its palm before itself.

"I'll answer all your questions. But first-" It bowed slightly, looking at Zuko. "-Can I hold him?" 

"Not until you answer my question." Ursa responded.

"Ugh, fine." The spirit grumbled.

"So basically, if I didn't do it, he would probably lose the ability to feel pain anyway in like... thirteen years, I think? And the merged being, her name is Sirin by the way, did wish to not feel pain at all, so I thought: If he won't be able to feel pain anyway when he's a teen, why don't I make it so that he's already accustomed to it? It's better than just suddenly not being able to feel pain, is it not?"

Ursa frowned, thinking.

"Wait, why would he lose his ability to feel pain?"

"Oh, that will happen if the agni-kai will happen, but better safe than sorry."

"Agni-kai? Why in the world would he fight in an agni-kai?!"

The silhouette seemed to shrug.

"It's always different."

"..." He did roughly explain to her the concept of alternate timelines during their first meeting.

"...Fine, I guess I kind of understand your point... But what about this *Sirin* person?" She wanted to know about the being Zuko merged with.

"What do you want to know?" The spirit slightly tilted its head.

"Well... what was she? A spirit or..?"

The silhouette shook its head.

"She was a human, an unnaturally powerful one but still."

"I see..." She thought about what other questions she needed to ask. "Why was she so afraid of pain?" 

The five shining dots, the eyes of the being, shifted away from her.

"Well... at some point she was under so much of it she would rather die, she was like... ten, or something, somewhere around this age."

"So young?"

"Her world was a cruel place, she lost her mother and most of her friends prior to that. You noticed that Zuko cries only when you're not around, right?"

Ursa gulped, nodding.

"Her mother's death was an event that started the worst period of her life. Even without full access to Sirin's memories, he would feel a drastic amount of anxiety when you leave, but I'm sure he will grow out of it with time." Ursa stared at the spirit, analyzing its words.

"And that's about it, I think."

"You think?"

"Even though I did merge their souls into one, Sirin's soul is exceptional, even she couldn't fully control it, and I don't have as much knowledge about her full potential as I've wanted."

The being seemed to take in a breath.

"But, as I can see, everything is fine for now." 

Ursa looked the creature in the eyes.

"So, there's nothing else, at least." She slightly relaxed.

"But why didn't you warn me about it?"

"I would If you summoned me. When we met for the ritual, you just wanted to get it over with and didn't let me put in a word, so I wanted to do it after we completed it. But I didn't expect it to exhaust me as much as it did and needed to go. And you didn't call me after that, so I couldn't tell you."

When Ursa thought about it, she did remember that she was a bit... upset during that time because of something Ozai did, it was at that time she found out about him undermining her reputation to keep her under his thumb. So she wanted to ensure her child's safety as fast as possible.

"You did mention you could only come here if I called for you..." It was one of the things the spirit told her during their first meeting. It didn't give her any details as to why though.

"So, are you satisfied with my answer?" The being inquired, tilting its head.

"Not even close." She quickly answered.

"Understandable." The spirit responded almost instantly.

"Well then, do you have any more questions?" It continued, throwing itself into a rotting chair.

"No, that would be all." Ursa sighed, slightly calming down. "From what I understand, you claim that even including this... *insensitivity*, Zuko will be safe. Safer than without, including the whole *merging* thing." She glanced at the being, wich nodded. "And you can't do anything about it." It nodded again. "Then, I'll bet on your word... for now."

"But I do want a form of... insurance, to make sure you aren't fooling me." At that, the spirit looked at her with a form of questioning gaze.

"But you already have it?" It pointed, with what seemed to be a finger, at the earing in her hand. "I literally gave you one of my limbs." Ursa rolled her eyes.

"First of all, you already grew out a new one." She eyed the being that, indeed, restored itself. "Second of all, even if it has some sort of use. Other than being a pretty accessory, and a way to contact you, I don't know how to actually use it in that way. Much less hurt you... and I would, if I could." She heard a faint laugh escaping the silhouette.

"Alright, I guess that's fair." It outstretched one of its limbs towards Ursa.

"̷̧̧̨̰̞̦̼̗͎̥̹̻̙͉̼̳͔̂̽̐͗̿̀̄̿͂̈́̏̅͊ͅT̷̼̱͇͓̼̟̝͍͓̠̻̜͈̦̭̙̝̮̟͋̾̐͂͊̑̃̃̽̏̅̏̇͐̈͒̍̓̔̊͑͠ų̶̨̡͖̞͚̭̖͕̺̱̥̻̻̼͍͓̯̰̓̃͜͠ơ̴̧̢̻̜͔̪͇̻̣͍͇̫̱͎̬̖̗̯̘̾̎̊͑̊͑͆̐͗̀̃̑̎͐̉ͅ ̵̛̲̥̻̞͉͉̝̙̻̣͍̰̪͖̌̄̎̐͌́̐̐̐̾̃͑͋̀́͠ỏ̶̢̪̬͍̬̦͓̗̼͉̹̰̙͕͓̻̟̩̞̯͚̞͔͓̥̙̽̌̾̈͘̚͝͝f̵̡̢̱͚̭̞̯͔̝̟̖̳̩̱͖̞̭̟̮̫̞̟̟̯͍̯͖̈́̐̾̾̔̅̇̚͝ṱ̴̢͙̮̪̹͔̘̳̥̫͚̝̺͈͕̼͐̿̔͐̑͌̆̊̉̓̊̽͜ ̶̨̨͙̯̭̺̜͓̳̘̞̥͖͖͖̗̱͎̞̮̠̮̞͓͚̼͖̥̓̈̊̏̒͛̎ͅs̸̢̛̛͕̙͍͍̘͉̣̟͖̝̜̐̅̅̈̉̐͒͛̍̐̊̅͘͘͠͠͠͝l̷̢̼̣̞̫͓̻̘̤̳̲̞͎̻̳̯̜͕͎̗͇̆̿̎́̉̇̈͌̐̈́̕͝ẹ̶̡̛͚͚͖̲̘̪̣̣͎͍̤̮̫̎͊͒̈̑͗́̅̅́̕ͅa̷̧̛̮̠̬͉̍̀̇̓̈́̅́̔̅̓̅̆̏̿́̈́̇̌̊̅̅̇́̑̓͘̕̕k̸͎̰͙͚͙̻͕͔̲̜͓̱͌͆̇͌́̓̈́̓͛̉̀̌͑̒̊͒̓̕̕͘̚̕͜͠ḯ̸̞̦̠͈͚̦̦̱̘͚͔͕͂̀͑̔̇̋̓͆̈́͐͌̒͌̚̚̚͜͜͝͠͝n̸̙̥̤̙̖̰̫̅ǵ̷͙́̐̈́̓͗̆̓̎̔̈́̌̕̚͠͝ ̷̧̥̹͕͚̩̱̞̞̫̭̭͓̮͇̯́̍̀̓̇̔̀͜͝ͅp̷̡̺̰͎͈̖͖̯͉̲͖̟̞͔̦̦̰͗͐̌̀̌͆͛̓̇͑͑̏̂̐͑̅̔͊̅͘l̸̡͇̘̆̊͑͂̆̌̀̍̆̐̚͝ȁ̸̢̧̝̮̻̯̖͎̩̤̬̱͕̖̗͊̅̾̿̌́͗̕͘͝m̶̢̡̨̼̤͉̲̠͕̖̲̖̞͖̭̻̯̪̙̝͈̥̑̐̈́̒̀̍͐́̂͋̚̚͜͜e̷̡̢̢̮̩͓̙͚̻̜͕̫͖̜̘̞̥̾̓̋͒̔̀͌̏̕ͅy̸̨̨̢̛̗̫͇̺̩̬̼̻̪̩̪̫̰̦̽̓͋̋̓̌͋͒̊̓̆̓͒̏̒̒̾̐̆̽͌́̏̚͠͝͝ͅą̵̼͎̅̍̊̔̂̔͐̊̀̇̾͆͐̓̽̈́̍̐̊͗̅̓̈́̂̓̚͘͝,̶̧̨͔̫̹̫͇̣̱̮̺̱̖̫̲̩̺̻̐͋̂̐̅͜ ̴̧̨̢̪̟͕̺͓̻͖̲̞̬͓͍̜͕̖͙͇̤̬̪̻͕̙̟̀̓̍̓͂̈́̌́͊̀̈́̂̈̑̋́̄̀̈̈̉͘͜͠͝͝b̵̡̧̛̤̯̦̖̝̥̪̪̯͎̾̄͋̇̈́̓̈́̐̓̌̏̚ͅȩ̵̡̱̰̘̗͙̥͎͓͍̥͍͎͐̊̊̎̎̾͒̌̑͌͆̅̓̔́̚ͅd̶̨̡̨̧̙̩̠̲̯̣͎͈̹͈̟͍͎̯̘̰̣͍͙̗̀̈́̂̚͜͜͜ͅȳ̸̧̛͕̦̭̱̥̟̬̼͎̬͙͈̗̝͈͈̠͈̱̺̑͋̄̔̆͆̇̀͛̀͐̈́͒̍͌̂̂̆͋̓͌́̿̃̕͘͝ͅ ̵̨̛̱̠̓̈́͜b̵͕̤̞̝͐̐͛̌̎̇̂̌̈͛̍͌̀̓̏͘͜͝l̸̡̛̛̠̼̖͚̜͚̝̻̟͎̅́̎̏̀̈̆̒̀̑̂͗̑̍͊̊͂̑̕͠͝ͅŝ̶̨̨̢̢̢̧̢̡̹̰̞̩̟̞̜͍̮̖̪͎̬̟̩̤̘̼͈̒̈́̐̅̉͗̆̌̾͠ͅé̴̡̦̙̞̮͎̻̼̣̰͓̹͈̲͓͎̀d̷̢̬̦͓͍͕͇̣͂̓̀̎̾͑̈́͒͒͋̄̏͗̂̌̋͊͐͋̋͘͝͝a̴̢̛͔̪͚͉͉̟͈͆̊̐̊̆̇̋̔̔̀̅̈́̚̚͝͝͝v̷̧̨̛͈̺̙̟͛́̾̀̓̉̚͝ļ̷̛̻͚͚̏̒͒̀̿̀͗̃̊͑̔͘ȩ̵̧̨̠̪̺̼͖̦͚̬̥̪̤͙̼̍̉̽̍̽n̵̨̢̨̡̟̝̗͍̟̯͍͇̩̻̫̭̙̘̙̑̐̀̿̉̎͋̒͒̂̊̅͘͜͠ͅy̶̛̟͙̻͓̤͍̪̦̠̏̿̓̇̅̋̄̔̋̉̆̄̅́̋̅̆̃͑͋͋́̆̄̚,̵̨͖͇̟̽̇̈̐́̊̊͂͆͌̾͒̚̕ ̵̢̧̨̳̥̼͎͇͇͕̲͈̪̻̮̙̤̏̑͐̽̅́̈́̍̋͗̒̀̌̾͋͐̀͒̀͂̌̉̋̈́̅̕̚͜͠b̸̨̭̳̥̠̗̼͍͇̘̺͍͎͉͒̏̒͒̈̋̄ỹ̵̡̧̧̡̡̧̛̛͙̬͍͙̹̙̪̮͙̜̬̗̫͎͙̤̖͉̠̻͉͍͍̐̏̃̓͊̈̌̒̾͗̔͌̋́̋̕͘̚̕͝͝ ̵̡͍͈͉̦̖̹̬̤̳̲̹̞̙͚̩̼̩̏͊͑̊̿̿̓̏́̄̿̈́̓̉̿͊̏̂̎̉̽̿̃̍̚̕͜͜͝ͅͅd̵͖̰̮̦͕̮̼̂́́̃͆͌̀͛̉̓̌̊̚å̸̖̘̎̎́̑̈̏̐́͐̾̀̋͋̇̓͆̅́̏͝r̷̨̨̗͕̟̻̭̞̬͓̫̱̱̥͓̰̞͕̪̹͍͌͜ͅí̸̢̛̭͈̻̤̱͕̺̪̤̺̣͍͙͖͍̹̂͊̂̇͒̇̿̀͘͘͘͝f̶̠̱̯͔͍̫͈̩̗͇̱̘͔̩̲͎̰̞̞̟̼̰̰̭͍̮͓̑̿̎̎̈͋̉͐͜͜͜t̸̨̧̡̮̻͉̩̹̥̪̣̘̺̀̌̑̈́̆͊̄̄͗̀̈̐̑̂̃͑̀͆̈́͒̄̚͜͠͠͝͠ ̸̝̥̯̯̆ơ̷̛͔̼͈̳̥̱͖͇̥̻͛̽́̓͌̓̓͑̋͌̇̈͛̉̓̽̿͑̇̓̀͘̚͠f̷̨̛̜͓̮͖̭͓͔̘̘̬̰̙̬̗̗̗̻͑̍͒̋̾̓̄̾͌̀̀̌̿̓͑͆̄͌̔̕̚͝͝͝͝͝ț̴̩̼͆̈͐̇̊̌͂͋̄̒̎̚͝ ̴̨̣̗̝̮́͌̚s̶̜̟̰͉̮̐͐̿̌͂̓͌̅̑̚͘̚͠͝u̷̯͌̿̍͗̾̊͆̆̅͒͊̋̃̒̇͂̇͋̚̚͝f̵̡̧̨̡̖̥̰͓̭̻̯͕̦̣̠͚̭͂̏̌͐̇͋͊̊̎̅̅͌͋͘̚͠͝r̷̢̩̞̜̜̟̫̼͕͈͎̼͇̪̞̼̱̺̰̳̩̖͙̰͖̝̫̽̍̈́͂̂̆̽̉̋́͂̒͛̃͛͆͘͝͝͠͝ͅͅa̵̗͔̪͎͋̍̌̈́ͅn̸̢̢̬̙̪͖̲̭̮̬̝͎̟̙̺̜͒̈́͊͐̔̾̂̀̐̅̍̅̅̿̆̎̚͠͠ͅi̴̢̩̟̣̪͇̰̯̭̮͎͊̽̇̈́̈̌̉̈̽͂̆͐̓̌̃͆͋͑͘͜͜y̸̧̺̬̰͍̼̹͔̠̮͙̝͊̔̾̇̑̔͗͝ ̶̢̡͕̠̦̦̗͍̹̦̩̹̹͇̥̣̹̖̞̠̈̉̓̀͗͛̊̉̉̽̄͋͌́̒̂̕̕ͅi̵̛̳̙͑̋̏̈͒͂̽̀͘͘̚͘a̶̛̰̎̿̀͗̎̏́̓̈́̕̚͠ͅd̷̹̞̪̤̘̽̆̐̈̇̀̕͘͜ ̷̛̮̠͎̱̬̠̯̦̝͔͍̺̼̯͚͔͉̮̤̥̆̎̇̏͂̀͆̎̇̽͛̉͋̀̕̕͜s̶̡̛̻̗͓̻̰̟͖̼̭̱̹̙̟̜̄̃͆̆͆͐͋͌̑̇̑̏͐̄̏̏͝m̶̛̲͖͇̼̲̋̉̒͑̅̇̉̉̾͋̐̈́̀̄̚̕͠͠ò̶̢̭̟̦̖̾̇͑́́̍͆̐̈̅̊̈́͗̓̓́͊̓̋̾̐̒͗̓̇̚̕͠͠r̷̡̨̢̛͖̹̟̜͓̘͕̦̦̘̮̗̤̍̈́̽̂̃̍͆̋͋̾͂̐͋̀̑̽͌̏̐̋̽̔̀̚̚͝ț̴͉̬͍̤͙͙̮̻̪̥̰́̎̊̈͑̀͗͋̍͛̾̈́̈́̈̔͘͜͝͝ë̶̤̯͆̈́l̷̡̺̜̲͙̲̟͔͒͛̉͌̀̿̏̀̇̓͋̂͐̈͊́̿͒̄̓̍͛̂͘̚̚͜͝ͅt̴̨̧̧̞̰̣̝̟̩͖͇̜̥̯̪̳͕̯̦̍͆̍̉̃̀͝ǒ̸̢̟̮͈̱̥̥̪̫͎̭͚ŗ̴̯̪̟̫͖̭͚̫̖̪͕̯̭̗̘̦̎͋̏̆̀̃͛̌͋̌̑͂̓̄̎́̉͑͋͐̀͂̎́̓̔̐͘͝~̸̨̡̨͇̥̟̻͕͚̱̰̳̟͙̄͛̈́͗͐́́̎̑͆́̓͝ ̷̖̘̗̱̝͕̳͓̻̗͎̤̪̙͍̺͔̰͖̞̩̘͈̏̊̾̄͑͛̂͘̕͜͝Y̵̢̧̖̻̱̱̖̘̥̫̭͓̭̦͇̦͖̠͇̣̓͌̓͐̀̉͌͆̽͛͗̓̒͒̆̌ỉ̷̡̧̛̼͈̭̝͍͙͕̖̤̞͙̰͚̫̙̌̇̔͐̀͂͋̒́ ̴̡̛̛̟̯͔͙̫̰̔̇̀̇͌̉̄ḑ̶̟̝͔̀͋͐̃͌̽̂̏̇͑̿̈̈̚͝r̷̫̯̦̥͖͓̲̯̭͍̖͕̉̄̑͂͒͛̈̓̍͋̈̏͒͗̒͛ͅa̷̧̮͇̙̱͈͙̖̹͔̦̻̥͍̤̻̙̦̯͙̣̪͗̓̃̽̒̐n̶̛̛͈͕̮̲̹̞̈̍̑́͒̀̎̍̈́̓͋̇̚͘̚̕̕͘͜͝ͅt̵̡̠̭͙̠͎͕͍͉̫̪̘̯̩͓͖̞̠͆̅ ̷̡̛̖̪̙̬̙̙̝͚̘̪̦̹̪́̋͒̐̓̈͋̋͗͊̈́͋͂̈́̾̽̊͛͗̎͜͠t̴̡̠̩͚̠̱̗̳̙̜̩̮̩̦̦̓̍͐̄̇͋͗̀̈̊͆̈́̅́̀͋̎͆͐͜͠ú̶̧͉̙͙͉͉̬̄̂́̚ͅͅõ̶̧̡̨͉̬̝͉͍̼͈̫̳̲̘̞̾͑̓̈́͑̃̈͋͛͆͊͌̈́̆͌͂̿͗͋́̈́̎̎͆̇͑̚͝ ̴̡̨͎̭̼̲̦̗̮̺̣̱̼̹̼͓̜͍͇͖͖̠͔̜̜̟̀̏̓͗̓͑̎̈́̋͐̕͜͝͝t̴̨̢̨̡͖͔͇̱̣͇͇͎̙̦̫̹̳͈̦̥͕͖͉͔̤̰̀̓̓͊́̔̿̀̌̌̈́͛̍̄̊̈͘̕͜͝ͅí̷̢̧̡̧̛͇̹͎͇̙͔̤̠͚̯̫͔̭̘̤̣̗͇͗͗̂̅̌̀̈́̉͊̒́͛̈̂̀͐̉̀͒t̶̡̗̱͋̏͗͠͠l̴̡̛̛̝̳̫̞̗̻̮̹͓͈̰̮̻̼͕̺͍͗̑̈́͐͋̀̎́̈͌̌͒͒̇̍̀̍̍̐̾̐̅̿̚̕͜͠͠ͅų̶̢̟͇͔͈̫͖̪̺̰̣͍̠͊̎̓̒̅͆̓͆͒̽̋̕ͅs̷̡̡̛̛͇͍̫̻͖̺̝̙̣̬̰̺̻̹̮̳͍̦̜̄͛͛͐̉̄͊́̍̄̂̄̓̀̍͑̓̑́̑̀̇͘͝ ̵̨̢̧̣͕̦̻͉̲̮̤͉̗͕̼̮͓̱̟̯̖͓̺̘͙͎́́̒͗̃́͜ó̶̭̯̜̜̺̭̪͚̙͓͖̘̻̭̣̀̓̎̏̈́͆̎̾̀̇̒͆͑͋̓͊̌̀̕͘̚͘̚͜f̵̬̰̗̻̤͇̣̮̣̻̼͎͖̟͍̜̳͕̬͎̹̣͉͎͇̣̂̈́̂͑́ť̶̨̨̘̹̬͓͈̩̘̺͉͖͖̪̖̥̤͓̤̯̰͓̰̈̌͊͑̎̃̕͜͝ͅ ̸̛̯̰͉͔̜̙̣̲͔̱̰̰͇̙͋̈́͒̏̑̐͆́̃̓̓̎͂̑̿̓̆͛̿̿̉̂̓̀̎͐͘͜͝d̴̨̧̺̫͍̥̲̩͚̞̮͈͓͈̪̠̮͓͈̣̀̎̀́̈́͠ͅȩ̴̼̣̟̬̟̳̟͇̣̙͓̓̐̏̔̽͑̒̈́͘͜͠͝ ̴̛̟̲͚̭͖̼̮̔̌͑͂̑͊̋̈́̀̎̈́̐̀̀̾̀̉̿́̓̓̅͋̄͘̚̕͝͝ͅḐ̴̝̫͎̪̉͂͒̐̇̋̓̽́͆̑̈̉̐̏̿̋̑̒̆̀̚͝Ȩ̸̢̢̧̢̰̹̜̦̰̜͍͎̙͓͉͍̗͖̟̫̫̳͇̦̹͖̟́͒̅̏̈́̎͐͑͗͂́̔̈͝͠ͅͅŞ̴̨̨̧̨͍̗͔͚͖̺̘̗̞͔̱͚̗̩̻̺͕̱̗̼̼̻̃͌̎͋̅̎̄̈͋͗̏̋̀̕͜͠͠͝ͅC̶̡̡̯̰͔̖͙̩̝͍̠̣̭͈͓̞̗̯̭͈̯͙̭͇̦̟̅̄̃̈́͊̇̑̕̕͝ͅȨ̷̧͙̩̠͈̹̰̲̝͔͍̩̬͉͕̻̱̮̟̣͉̱̏̊̇̍͛͜N̵̖̲̜̯̺̮̫̺̯͉̱̭͛̎̈̃͂͑̊̂͑̿̄̾̈̏̆̈́̀̽̀́͂̉͆͜͜͜ͅD̶̨̧̫͍̠̼͓̗̟̼̱͕̟̲̣̖̙̺͍͙̲̤͉͍̳͕̰̠͊̒̑͜͜Ĕ̸̘̝̬̲̬̤̱̲̗͂̓̎͆̾̇̀̓͐̕ͅR̸̠͈̍!̴̛̛̠̠̘̘̘̜̪͕̓͒͋̎͆̑̋̈̅̄̈́͆̀̄̇̋̐̌̍́̽̍̑͝͠͝"̵̨͕̭̠̣͓͉͙̯̺͚̺͎̜͖̬̳̜̩͙̤̈́̂͠

"!" A luminescent light of endless colors appeared before the outstretched hand, as the being gently brushed it with its fingers.

"̶̘̟́̆Ä̷͔̩̥̹́̕h̵̻̗̬̙̦̀͒h̸̘͇̘͔̺̑͘h̶̤̳͑̂̿.̷̭̞͇͖̮̂̒̾̈.̶̨͚͆.̵̡̬̦̯̠͊̈̈́ ̷̡͇͝k̵̼̐̈́a̸̙̬̣̦̾̉́͂̎ͅw̷̻͕͕̔̐͊ ̵̤̻̺͎̈́̀̈́̀o̸̢̹̒ş̸̛̉̋̋e̴͎͖̯̕s̶̖͖̮̎͘̕h̶͕͋̓̃͐͘͜y̷̺͍̘͙̔͑͒͛í̷̢͖̭̱̝̿̇͠n̶̤͉̠̽̿͐͜.̶̨̰͓̓͂͌͠.̸̘̂̎͆͜.̵͎͇̉͒~̷̥̮̲͔͈͋͑̈́͋͝"̴̧̭͙̯̣̍̆ It whispered in a tongue Ursa could not understand, raising the blinding ball of light towards its face.

The spirit continued murmuring something to the sphere in the same chilling speech.

"..." Ursa was silent, holding her son close to her chest.

She eyed the being who was still whispering.

'How am I supposed to trust you at all if you're actually starting a new ritual without warning me?' She pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers, gritting her teeth in frustration.

She grumbled, recalling the last time she heard the spirit speak this tongue, it being the merging ritual.

She shuddered, remembering it.

"What are you doing?"

The spirit jumped a little bit at her voice, taking its eyes off of the ball of light.

"Well, you did want a form of insurance." It said, closing the distance between them.

"So here." It said before tapping the back of Ursa's hand with the sphere.

At the touch, Ursa felt a sensation similar to that during the merging. But more... lasting.

"Now, you can make anyone mortal~!"

"...What?"

"If you call a spirit by their true name and break this thing-" It tapped its finger at the earing."-You can make them mortal, *descend* them, in other words. It will also cancel any magical ritual spell or ritual they ever did. Neat, right?" It clapped its hands.

"In my case, that will also put everything on its place. Meaning that all that I've done won't be just reversed. All will be as if I've never existed in this world at all... But it can only be used ONE time, got it?" The spirit seemed to cross its arms.

"So, will that suffice?"

Ursa thought for a moment, the spirit was probably lying... but on the other hand... why not?

"Eh. Sure, why not, just tell me your name."

"But, you won't be able to summon me afterward." 

"..." Ursa sighed. "Why?"

"I'm just gonna be busy for the next several centuries, and I won't be able to come unless it's something important."

"...It just... kind of sounds like you're just lazy."

The spirit gasped, sarcastically, yet without emotion.

"Look who's talking."

Ursa scowled.

"Excuse me?"

It sounded like the spirit sighed.

"Ursa, darling...  _ child _ -" The spirit made a strong emphasis on *child*. "-Let us be clear, you did not need me. But you still accepted my offer." It jerked its head towards her, as if expecting an answer. But continuing without receiving it. "And I did accept  _ all  _ of your demands, except the ones that contradicted with Sirin's wishes. You,  _ yourself _ , told me that you were okay with anything I would do as long as it protects your children, and I gave you several chances to back down, I still do." It pointed at the earing. "Yet, you still seem to accuse  _ me _ of being *lazy*."

It came closer to her.

"I shall be clear, I do not  _ need  _ to help you, but I still do, following most of your rules. And I do realize what I did was... unfair, to say the least, but so would be not following Sirin's last wish. And you were adamant about the ritual." It came even closer, now taking the hand, in which Ursa held the earing. "If you don't like it, then go ahead, let's end this right here, right now. Before it's too late."

The being silently drilled Ursa's eyes with its own, gripping the hand, along with the earing, harder.

Ursa trembled as the spirit's neck stretched, making a blood-curdling sound, similar to the ripping of flesh, leaning toward her ear.

"My name is _̶̘̫̠͐̎͝-̷̪̮͆͛̅_̶̲̽-̸̬́-̵͎̝͆͐." It said in a barely audible voice, so that nothing and no one but the princess could hear it.

"Alright,-" Ursa said, sighing. "-I'll accept this. Including that it'll reverse your actions..."

The spirit pulled away, still staring into her eyes.

"I am glad to hear that..." It turned around. "...Oh, and before I forget. You'll be able to pass the ability to descend to one of your children by giving them the earing, alright, have fun." It hastily finished before disappearing.

Ursa just frowned at the disappearing black particles it left behind. Silently looking between the child in one of her arms, and the earing in the other.

"Well, this was something." She chuckled attaching the accessory to her ear.

"At least now we can...bail...I guess." She grimaced, adjusting the babe in her arms.

She took in a long breath before making her way out of the library.

"Now... the hardest part." 

She started making her way toward her, and Ozai's part of the palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely not my best work, please leave feedback.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moon and ocean spirits arrive at Wan Shi Tong's, and The Beast meets an unexpected partner.

Tui and La swirled in their eternal dance...

  
However, this time, it wasn't in their pond.

  
Both of the Great Spirits were glancing excitedly to their sides, it was a long time since they visited Wan Shi Tong's library.  
A single fox, a relatively big one, came up to them.

  
"-Hgmp-" The fox made a sound similar to humans clearing their throat. "-Greetings, Tui and La, I am one of the knowledge seekers, my master ordered me to show you the way, please, follow me." The fox made a small bow before turning towards one of the arches surrounding the middle of the crossed bridges, the heart of the library.  
Tui and La calmly followed the canine.

  
"Can you believe it? This, is Tong's library!" La suddenly began, chuckling.

  
"I remember when it looked like a small stone box with only five cute self-made books he made! And now, look at it!" They continued in wonder, the tone giving off a pleasant vibe.

  
"Have you been here before?" The surprised manner of the fox's voice gave off the impression Wan Shi Tong still gave close to none information of himself before he became 'He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things'...

  
...O-o-or he didn't actually let anyone in, the moon and ocean spirits bet on the latter.

  
"It seems he did not change much." Tui commented on the thought, confusing the fox even further.

  
They then felt a gentle slap on one of their fins.

  
"Forgive my partner. Yes, there was a time when your master was a newly born spirit. We've become good friends back then and sustained a... relatively friendly relationship, from then on." La explained. And leaned to Tui.

  
"Remember, the majority of them have never conversed with any one of the physical plane, answer their questions directly, they won't get subtext or sarcasm." They whispered to the moon spirit, who nodded.

  
"Yes, sorry, I always forget about that." La slightly frowned at Tui's answer. Ever since they got the news, they've been acting weirdly, but, yet again, who wouldn't?  
They flowed through the halls along with the fox in silence, occasionally stopping when something caught their eye.  
In about five minutes, they stopped, looking at a small door with an owl engraved in its frame.

  
"Master, they arrived."

  
As the fox called out to her master, the group heard the sound of something breaking from the other side of the door.

  
"I shall come out at once." They heard the owl spirit respond after a few seconds.

  
"Is something wrong?" Tui inquired, questioning the knowledge seeker.

  
"The Great Spirit that fought the beast has been... difficult, ever since he recovered." The fox lowered her snout, a few signs of minor burning could be seen on some areas of her fur.

  
"...How difficult?" The moon spirit continued, glancing at their partner, who did not seem to mind the other being a bit... *nosy*, so to speak.

  
"..." The fox was quiet for a moment, before sighing.

  
"He does not want to be seen." She finished, slightly confusing the two *fish*.

  
'Didn't he like to boast about his golden scales?' Tui thought to themselves.

  
The three of them turned to the door once it opened.

  
"...Pfft-" La couldn't help themselves from laughing at the sight before them.

  
The giant owl spirit carried a small, golden-scaled dragon in his beak.

  
"Let go of me!" The dragon protested, trying to wriggle out of Wan Shi Tong's hold.

  
"Agni?" La quietly asked, keeping their laughter at bay.

  
"Let me guess, is this because of the consuming?" Tui cut La's sentence short, knowing that they might laugh at the dragon just to smite his connection to the fire nation.  
Wan Shi Tong offered a nod for an answer, confirming Tui's suspicion.

  
He put Agni on the floor before clearing his throat.

  
"Greeting, I am happy to see that you accepted my invitation." He said in a monotone voice, closing the door behind him just before Agni could escape.

  
"Now, we can discuss the plan. Agni and I already established a route of action, but we can't proceed without your opinion." Wan Shi Tong turned his gaze towards the, now small, dragon.

  
"Do not resist, someone will have to see you one way or another."

  
Tui and La could hear a low growl coming from Agni.

  
"...Fine." The dragon finally said. Flying onto the owl spirit's head.

  
"Hi, you two." He looked the koi spirits over. "Ah~, you're astral-projecting, that's good." He said, relief clear in his voice.

  
"Benares won't be able to damage you, at least not as much as it did with me." Tui tilted their head at the unfamiliar name.

  
"Benares? Is that the beast's name?" They inquired.

  
"Yes, at least that's how it calls itself."

  
"It's capable of speaking?" La was a bit surprised at the fact. A lot of young spirits tended to be feral, they were much more animalistic and could speak only after years of training and learning. There were also cases of spirits losing that ability after being corrupted by Vaatu.

  
In the end, Benares's ability to speak hinted on the fact that whatever it is, it did all of those horrible things consciously... at least as far as they know.

  
"What plans do you have?" Tui asked, they didn't come here to just have a talk.

  
"We're still waiting for others."

  
"Others? You mean..?"

  
"Some of the other great spirits agreed to help us, but they made it clear that they won't fight the being." Wan Shi Tong bowed his head, directing his gaze to the fox that guided Tui and La.

  
"They have arrived, yes?" To his question, the fox only nodded.

  
"Yes, but they showed interest in our documents, and as of now are exploring the library." The owl spirit scoffed at the response.

  
"It seems that the three of you are the only Great Spirits that care for that beast!"

  
"All right, stop. Let's just wait until others are finished." Agni cut in before Wan Shi Tong could spout something else.

  
If Tui remembered correctly, Wan Shi Tong had a certain... resentment, for The Great Spirits. Mostly because more than half of them are passive, and literally do nothing for centuries. 

  
And because he, himself, dreamed of becoming one, but couldn't because he was born after the planes of reality were separated. Thus he formed a resentment to those that a being called great simply because of their age.

  
"In any case, I presume we need to share the information we have on the beast." Wan Shi Tong suddenly brought up, glancing at Agni, who shrugged with his wings.  
"First of all, we now know that Benares has some sort of master, the only thing we know about the master is that whatever it is, its name is Sirin, and that Benares called it *The Queen of Houkai*, so we can suggest that it's a female, but that's just a speculation." The owl took in a breath before continuing. "Also, Agni has multiple theories, but I think that there are too many *if*s in them."

  
The fire spirit scoffed at the comment.

  
"At least I have theories-!"

  
Before Agni could finish his sentence one of the other Great Spirits, The Mother of Faces, to be exact, approached them with immense speed. Terror clear in her energy.  
"That thing- It's trying to break enter the human world!"

* * The, now destroyed, fog of the lost souls, several hours prior to the meeting Bella's P.O.V* *

  
The magnificent wyrm houkai beast was slowly walking through an area she cleared out after that centipede-like thing with a human face tried to kill her.

  
'The more I stay here, the less all of this makes sense.' She played with a small amount of concentrated ice elemental houkai energy in her left hand, trying to keep focused.  
'It's already been about eight days... where could she go..?' The ice in her hand dispersed when she started thinking of Sirin.

  
'I can feel her but-!' Her train of thoughts was cut short by a strong presence she has not felt before.

  
The sensation was familiar to the one she felt when she and her mistress were on the moon and Sirin was blessed by the Houkai.

  
...However, this was different, the sensation - whatever caused this flow of houkai was very much aware of itself, it was alive, could it be a herrscher? More than that... a living herrscher?

  
Benares frowned in the direction from which she sensed the presence - a mountain, an exceptionally tall one.

  
The fact that the presence not only reached out to the houkai beast but also beckoned her towards itself only enhanced her growing anxiety.

  
'...Hmm... Is it worth asking whatever emits this houkai for help.' She began thinking, calling back at the incident with that weird centipede thing.

  
Crossing her arms, Benares began calculating. During her time in this place, she already had met several houkai beasts with their own consciousness. As far as she knew, the only way for someone of houkai to have a consciousness, is to initially be human, and at some point, if they're lucky, they ascend to become something much more. She was a rare exclusion only due to the blessing of her queen.

  
'Their number is... concerning, to say the least... Perhaps this presence is of the one who granted it to them. Does it mean they want revenge?' The dragon lightly bit down on her thumb's nail.

  
"...Excuse me?" Banares jerked, snarling at the source of the voice...

  
...An extremely old lady... seriously she looked like she would turn into a pile of dust the moment Bella blinked.

  
"Young lady, are you the one who got rid of that horrid fog?" The woman asked, with a strange expression.

  
The frail figure truly looked too suspicious to the houkai beast, which already started conjuring several Ice lances right behind the woman, taking in the old woman's appearance.

  
Her face was covered in wrinkles, with a pair of beauty marks under the right side of her lips. Benares also noticed that she hadn't opened her eyes once since the moment she addressed her.

  
But the things that really caught the dragon's eye were her hair, tattoos, and clothes.  
Her hair was a pristine white color, similar to one of the worms that tried to take her queen down. Though it was messy, it seems like the grandma made sure it was pulled back to reveal a giant blue arrow tattoo, at first Benares thought it was only on the woman's forehead but caught a glimpse of the same shape on the back of the woman's hand.  
Lastly, the clothes, though they were old and rugged, the yellow, orange, as well as red were still in their blooming color, even covered with dust and mud, at a first glance it wasn't obvious, but the robes had a resemblance to those of a Buddist monk.

  
"Yes?" The beast decided to humour the grandma.

  
The moment her words danced off her lips the old woman smiled revealing her yellowish teeth.

  
"I knew it! I can't thank you enough!" She grabbed Benares's hand in her own, still not opening her eyes.

  
"I've been trapped in here for almost a hundred years now! At first I couldn't believe it! But feeling you up close... it's clear you are someone with enough strength to have gotten rid of the fog!" The houkai beast shuddered when the woman opened her eyes... though there was nothing to open, to be honest...

  
The two empty sockets that were supposed to contain her eyes seemed to have been somehow, and the incident must have happened a long time ago, including that her eyes' absence could go unnoticed without her actually opening them.

  
"If I can do anything to thank you- Please tell me!" Bella glanced away, the longer she looked at the old human the more uncomfortable she felt... Though that is a good opportunity.

  
"You'll answer my questions - all of them..." She tried to sound threatening, but the strange woman seemed to be unaffected.

  
"Okay~" The woman almost sang in a strange voice that was on a thin line between apathetic and happy, hopping on top of a large boulder.

  
"What is this place?" Benares started the questioning.

  
"The fog of lost souls, or at least it's was before you destroyed it." She gave Bella another small smile, though it seemed less sincere this time.

  
"No- I mean as in this whole place." Bella tried to interpret her question the way she wanted but was cut short by the grandma's fake-sounding laughter.

  
"A-a-a-ah I see you're quite the jokey lass." The woman wheezed.

  
"MY NAME IS BENARES!" The dragon roared out, letting out a powerful gust of murderous wind, frustrated with how the human addressed her.  
"AND I DEMAND-!" She stopped mid-sentence, realizing she might have killed an opportunity to clear everything up. But looking at the spot where the human was, she was surprised to find her completely unscratched.

  
The old woman mowed calmly, weaving and soothing the torrents of wind around herself...

  
"...a herrscher..? No." Too many movements. "A Valkyrja."

  
Benares summoned a hundred lances of ice while letting her lightning flow through them... It doesn't have a practical effect, it just looks cool.

  
"Now what is this about?" The old human questioned, keeping a facade of amusement on her face.

  
"I thought you wanted to question me, not to fight." She stopped her movement along with the wind.

  
"And I will, when I'm sure you can't pose a threat."

  
The woman laughed.

  
"How could someone as frail as me be a threat to you, you are at least as strong as a great spirit, even talking to you can be viewed as suicide." She sat down again. "Even though I have never heard of you... And you can find out a lot being as old as I am." She smiled slyly.

  
"...Very well. But." Benares snapped her fingers, creating a circuit prison around the human.

  
"You will die if you try something." Unsurprisingly, the woman's face showed no emotion, she did nothing but nod in response.

  
"Now answer my question."

  
"This is the spirit world."

  
"What is the spirit world." She scowled at the unknown term.

  
"..." The granny tilted her head, seemingly thinking. "It's just that, the spirit world, where spirits reside, no human can live, only see through dreams... and their way to whatever comes after death." She shook her hands a little... was that gesture called jazz hands? "But shouldn't you know that? After all, you are a spirit."  
Benares could feel herself grimace.

  
"Then what is a *spirit*?"

  
"A spirit."

  
"...That's it?"

  
The woman shrugged.

  
"It's common knowledge, things like that are hard to put into actual words."

  
"Then try harder." The prison shrank a little bit, even though the human was blind, she seemed to notice that. She sighed.

  
"A powerful entity, immortal, unkillable most of the time, made out of energy very few humans can come in contact with, much less control it. They also don't seem to understand the concept of chi as much as humans do."

  
"What are these energies?"

  
"Chi is something every being has, so some say spirits don't have it nobody is really sure, it is something that benders use for their abilities-"  
After that Benares spent several hours getting information from the woman.

  
"..."

  
"..."

  
"So what now?"

  
"...This shouldn't be possible." Benares buried her face in her hands, assessing the situation.

  
"You said there is a portal to the human world..." Even though Sirin stopped being human long ago, Bella's only hope of finding her for now is going to the human world, including that she can't feel her queen anywhere in here.

  
The woman gave the beast a sympathetic smile.

  
"I'm sorry... but only the avatar can open them..."

  
"I can still try." Though Bella understood why it was most likely impossible. Including that the avatar, from her understanding, was the most powerful being of both worlds... at least that's how the woman - she introduced herself as Feng Po Po, explained the concept.

  
"So... Po Po-"

  
"Please call me Feng."

  
"-Okay Feng."

  
She had undone the electric prison.

  
"Lead the way." At first, the old woman seemed confused... before smiling ear-to-ear.

  
"It would be my pleasure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment I really need feedback T_T

**Author's Note:**

> This is a crossover between Honkai Impact 3rd and Avatar: The last Airbender, with a bit of an old chinese folk-tale legend of the white snake(or madame white snake) and its various adaptations, I own nothing, please don't take this too seriously.  
> If some of you haven't heard of the character named Sirin I advice you to read this:  
> https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Herrscher_of_the_Void/Synopsis  
> But only read the Honkai Impact 3rd part because I decided to use only that version of the character, I just find her a bit more sympathetic.


End file.
